By Lily O. Ramos
MANILA, Aug. 30)–Technical vocational education and training has been the road out of poverty for the grand winners of this year’s Idol Awards of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and they are only too happy to lead other people to the path they have taken.
Joseph Jalbuna, who hails from CaLaBaRzon (Region IV-A), was never contented driving a tricycle. When he had saved enough money, he took tourism-related skills training programs and became a hotel staff and eventually, a supervisor.
He became a trainer at the same time, and with the help of a partner, he was able to establish his own training school.
For this, Jalbuna emerged as this year’s national winner in the self-employed category of the TESDA Idol Awards.
For the wage-employed category, Grayfield Bajao was awarded the national winner for his perseverance that enabled him to rise from being a hotel housekeeping supervisor to becoming a college dean.
The TESDA Best, Batang TESDA award was given to Mary Queen Carillo-Biag for pursuing her passion in cooking and bread and pastry making, which gave her the title of a chef.
She now helps schools review their tech-voc training programs and appears on television to promote her craft.
TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva led in feting the winners during the awarding ceremony last week, which was part of the 21st anniversary celebration of the agency.
“The values of tech-voc education did not leave these graduates and have guided them through success,” Villanueva said.
“What they discovered through TESDA was a life of limitless opportunities, including the chance to inspire other people to tread the path they have taken,” he added.
For the Idols ng TESDA, 20 tech-voc graduates were recognized during the ceremony.
The annual award seeks to recognize tech-voc graduates for their extraordinary efforts to promote and use tech-voc in making an impact on communities and making lives better for the people.
The Kabalikat Award, on the other hand, is given to institutions, corporations, local government units, development partners and national government agencies for their outstanding contributions in the conduct and promotion of technical vocational education and training.
Texas Instruments Philippines, Inc., based in Central Luzon, topped this year’s search in the industry category award.
A leading producer of semiconductors, the company has a strong apprenticeship program that allows tech-voc trainees to get a hands-on experience while studying.
From 2012 to 2014, around 1500 apprentices graduated from the firm’s program of which more than 700 have been absorbed in the company’s regular workforce.
The company spent more than P22 million for the apprenticeship and other training programs during the same period.
It also spent some P100,000 for the company’s promotion and advocacy activities on tech-voc.
In the institution category, the Agusan del Sur College emerged as the national winner for its excellent training and assessment services on programs such as Housekeeping NC II, Driving NC II, Massage Therapy NC II, Health Care Services NC II, Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II, Commercial Cooking, Food and Beverage Services NC II, Bookkeeping NC III, Events Management NC III, Front Office NC II and Local Guiding NC II.
From 2012 to 2014, ADSCO trained more than 800 students and assessed around 600.
The city government of Baguio was adjudged the outstanding local government partner at the city level.
From 2012 to 2014, the local government unit has subsidized the training of more than 5,600 individuals, spending more than P19 million in training scholarships.
It provided assistance to more than 130,000 individuals in terms of various employment facilitation services.
At the provincial level, TESDA recognized the provincial government of Tarlac for making skills training and employment facilitation its priority programs.
The province has produced more than 24,000 tech-voc graduates and some 500,000 individuals have benefitted from its employment facilitation services from 2012 to 2014. It spent P35 million for scholarships and around P9 million to support the implementation of tech-voc-related programs.
The first district of Bohol was the choice in the Kabalikat Award’s legislative category for producing more than 600 graduates from 2012 to 2014.
It has also assisted some 11,000 individuals with employment facilitation services through job fairs.
The winners for the Idols ng TESDA and Kabalikat Awards received trophies and certificates of recognition. The Idols were also rewarded with Samsung tablets from Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation and cash prize from TESDA.
The 2015 national Kabalikat nominees are:
Industry category:• Texas Instruments Philippines, Inc. (National Winner)• Visayan Electric Company, Inc.
Institution category:• Agusan del Sur College (National Winner) – Caraga Region • Data Center College of the Philippines of Laoag City, Inc. – Region I • Quirino State University – Region II • Emilie Gardose International Training Center – Region III • Phil-Nippon Technical College – Region IV-A • Southwestern Luzon Maritime Institute Foundation – Region IV-B • Daraga Human Resource Development Center – Region V • Advance Central College – Region VI • University of Cebu – Region VII • Kanaga-EDC Institute of Technology – Region VIII• Saint Vincent College – Region IX • Cor Jesu College, Inc. – Region X I
Legislative Partners:• Lone Congressional District of Catanduanes• 1st Congressional District of Bohol• 1st Congressional District of Davao City
Development Partner:• Plan International, Inc. – Region VIII
The 2015 national Idols ng TESDA nominees are:
Self-employed category• Joseph B. Jalbuna, Region IV-A (National Winner) – Bartending NC II, Housekeeping NC II, Events Management NC III, HEO Forklift NC II• Reggie R. Fernandez, Region 1 – Automotive Servicing NCI/NCII • Reymond E. Ignacio, Region II (2nd runner-up) – Automotive Servicing NC II• Bernadette P. Ramos, Region III (1st runner-up) – Food and Beverage Services, Housekeeping, Barista, Bartending• Romy M. Evangelista, Region V – Dressmaking NC II• Gail E. Pacquiao, Caraga – Cookery NC II, Food and Beverage Services NC II, Food and Beverage Services NC III, Housekeeping Services NC II• Jerry S. Anim, National Capital Region – PC Operations NC II, Computer Hardware Servicing NC II, Programming NC IV
Wage-employed category :• Grayfield Bajao, Region VII (National Winner) – Cookery NC II, Baking and Pastry Production NC II, Housekeeping NC II, Food Processing NC II, Food and Beverage Services NC II, Ship’s Catering Services NC I, Customer Services NC I• Mary Queen Carillo-Biag, Region VI (1st runner-up) – Commercial Cooking NC III, Cookery NC II, Bread and Pastry Production NC II, Food Processing NC II, Food and Beverage Services NC II, Trainers Methodology Mary Queen Course NC I• Julius M. Sta. Maria, Region III (2nd runner-up) – Events management Services NC II, Travel Services NC II, Housekeeping NC II, Food and Beverage Services NC II• Jesus N. Gamata, Region I – Food and Beverage Services NC II, Cookery NC II• Cristina M. Mendoza, Region II – Bread and Pastry Production NC II, Commercial Cooking NC III• Imelda M. De los Reyes, Region IV-A – Tourism Promotion Services NC II, Food and Beverage Services NC II, Events Management NC III, Front Office Services• Adelene R. Escain, Region IV-B – Baking and Pastry Production NC II• Salvacion M. Danao, Region V – Food and Beverage Services NCII, Housekeeping NCII, Household Services NCII, Baking and Pastry Production NCII• Marivic T. Maymay, Region VIII – Massage Therapy NC II, Healthcare Services NC II, Caregiving NC II, Household Services NC II• Joven A. Tarroza, Region IX – PC Operations NC II, Computer Hardware Servicing NC II• Ronald S. Sabandal, Region XI – Food and Beverage Services NC lll, Housekeeping NC lll, Barista NC ll, Food &Beverage Services NC ll, Bartending NC ll, Ships’ Catering Services (Ships Cook) NC ll, Ships’ Catering Services (Messman) NC I, Cookery NC lI, Household Services NC ll, Commercial Cooking NC lll, Front Office Services NC ll, Housekeeping NC ll, Bread and Pastry Production NC ll• Reymolani O. Laureta, Region XII – Motorcycle and Small Engine Servicing NC II, Driving NC II• Emmie P. Vitanzos, Caraga – Visual Graphic Design NC III.(PNA)